Operation: HELLFIRE
*UNSC **1st Fleet **13th Fleet **7th MEF **3rd MEF **19th MEF **6th MEF **13th MEF **9th Army Group **8th Army Group **15th Army Group **19th Army Group **23rd Army Group **Spartan Corps 1st Regiment **105th ODST Division **111th Force Recon Division **2nd Army Special Forces Division **75th Ranger Division **ONI Task Force Werewolf *Sangheili Republic **Fleet of Forgotten Solace **Fleet of Vengeance **Yrdesh Legion **Ignal Legion **Axiash Legion **Quen'tol Legion **Aar'dalak Legion **Eral Legion **Uriath Legion **Shaay Legion **Halior Legion **Marikor Legion **Ascetic Guard **Bloodied Night Chapter **Ardent Faith Chapter **Three Suns Chapter **Special Operations Group |forces2= *Fleet of Deliverance's Will *Fleet of Purgation *Fleet of Destined Suzerainty *Ascendancy Legion *Honour Guard Legion *Gurshesh Legion *Makratra Shock Legion *Sabalik Shock Legion *Falkar Guard Legion *Jutiror Guard Legion *Retuh Guard Legion *Tauger Legion *Vakrae Legion *Shotk Legion *Valgrun Legion *Firiol Legion *Fuldak Legion *Buraf Legion *Tuakrak Legion *Shalkyr Stalker Legion *Werag Stalker Legion *Rhuj Stalker Legion |casual1= |casual2= }} was the last major battle of the Remnant War, and shattered the Remnant empire. The allied forces of the UNSC and Sangheili Republic toppled the Covenant, killing the majority of it's leaders, and destroyed the bulk of their remaining forces. Background With the prelude operations completed, the battle to end the Covenant was inevitable. For the first time, both the UNSC, and the Sangheili Republic planned together on a strategic level. With heavy casualties enacted on the Covenant already in previous battles, the allies knew the Covenant was close to collapse. The Covenant meanwhile, lived like nothing was wrong. They tried to recoup losses, and continued to revel in debauchery and pleasures, ignoring the looming threat coming to them. Forces UNSC *''1st Fleet'': Oldest and most venerable fleet of the UNSC, the First Fleet was considered best of the best. They'd largely avoided the war, aside from minor skirmishes, but had now been called up to lead the charge on Pious Ascension. *''13th Fleet'': One of the most battle hardened fleets in the UNSC, the 13th Fleet had fought in several important campaigns of the war, and were fighting in the final campaign of the war. *''9th Fleet'': Recently refitted for the operation, the 9th Fleet had a whole host of modernised ships, and up to date technology. *''6th Fleet'': The fighting 6th were there at the start of the war, being amongst the first to battle the resurgent Covenant, and would play a vital role in the end. *''7th MEF'': One of the most elite units in the UNSCMC, the 7th MEF had beaten the Covenant time and again. Hardened, and extremely experienced, the 7th MEF were eager to get into combat. *''3rd MEF'': Experienced marines from campaigns across multiple sectors, 3rd MEF would prove to be a vital lunchpin in the UNSC order of battle. *''19th MEF'': Somewhat fresh faced, compared to other forces, 19th proved themselves in the crucible of battle. *''6th MEF'': the 6th MEF had previously been putting down Insurrectionist holdouts following NCA attacks on colonial settlements. They were cycled out and re-equipped for combating the Covenant. *''13th MEF'': Raised from froniter worlds, the 6th MEF had an axe to grind against the Covenant. Plenty of them had experienced Covenant raids, and were eager for vengeance. *''9th Army Group'': Lead formation during the ground combat phase, the 9th Army had previously been pivotal during earlier anti-Covenant campaigns *''8th Army Group'': A central Army unit, they were cycled onto the Covenant war to replace previous units. *''15th Army Group'': Experienced in ant-Covenant conflicts, this was the first time the 15th Army Group had performed something other than defensive actions. *''19th Army Group'': Veterans from a number of campaigns the 19th had recently recovered from heavy casualties, and were finally returning to the front *''23rd Army Group'': Having just finished modernisation, the 23rd was rushed to the front to take part in the campaign. *''Spartan Corps 1st Regiment'': The oldest, and most experienced regiment in the Spartan Corps, 1st Regiment was deployed to multiple fronts during Operation: HELLFIRE. They also had attached units from Spartan Intelligence Company, Spartan Air Squadron, Spartan Air Rescue, Headhunter Operations, and Delta-6 Operations. *''105th ODST Division'': The most infamous of the ODST units, 105th was maintained at a high level of readiness in preparation for this operation. Experts in the use of drop pods, and specialists in close quarters Direct-Action, the 105th proved to be an invaluable asset. *''111th Force Recon Division'': Specialists in recon and skirmish combat, 111th Force Recon were deployed ahead of the UNSC advance to prepare the battle space and secure forward positions. *''2nd Army Special Forces Division'': Special forces deployed by the UNSCA, the 2nd SFD conducted clandestine operations, and acted as shock troops. *''75th Ranger Division'': Specialist light infantry, the Rangers were deployed to harry the Covenant, and respond rapidly to emerging situations. *''ONI Task Force Ogre'': Task Force Ogre was a clandestine group deployed by the Office of Naval Intelligence for intelligence gathering and to work with ground forces to secure assets. Commanders *Admiral of the Fleet William T. Castle: Chief of Naval Operations, and de-facto military commander of the UNSC, Admiral Castle had taken command of the operation personally. An uncompromising officer, he had gotten hands on experience as an officer during the Covenant war, and ascended the ranks in the years after that. *Fleet Admiral Salvo Fontana: Commander of the First Fleet, Fleet Admiral Fontana had been a legend even before he became an admiral. Commanding the venerable First Fleet, he had a great responsibility. *Fleet Admiral Galia Meir: A fierce officer who had proven herself in earlier campaigns in the war, she was a feared opponent of the Covenant, and a rarity for higher-officers, had a good working relationship with the Republic. *Vice Admiral Karl La Croix: Attached directly to Admiral Castle's command, Vice Admiral La Croix was the main intelligence officer for the campaign, and commanded the ONI assets supporting them. Hand-picked by Castle for his history as a line-officer, La Croix proved less secretive than his peers in the office. *General Gregory Fontaine: The commander of the ground campaign, General Fontaine had lead campaign after campaign against the Covenant, and had come up victorious each time. A grizzled officer, he was a proponent of advanced armour. *Lieutenant General Arne Zabaleta: Placed in command of the Navy's ground complement, he was technically subservient to the command of Fontaine, but worked in accordance with the Navy, directing his marines to secure landing zones for transports, and lead lightning attacks. *Colonel Fabian McDonough: Placed under the command of Gregory Fontaine, he was the colonel in charge of the UNSC's special forces deployment. charged with organising the UNSC's special forces capabilities, he had command over both Marine and Army SF components. *Colonel Margarita St Marie: The commander of the Spartan Corps First Regiment, she was charged the deployment of the UNSC's precious few Spartans, including various Spartan companies, air assets, D-6 Operators and Headhunter teams. *Ajax-013: Commander of Blackjack Company, this Spartan held a grisly reputation for wetwork. He and his company were deployed as vanguard units and terror weapons. *Elise-070: Long-time comrade of Ajax, and a commander in her own right, she lead Gladiator Company on several shock and awe attacks against Covenant strong holds. *Melanie-038: Commander of Argo company, she lead a number of clandestine strikes against the enemy, severing their communications, destroying their supplies, and killing their commanders. Republic *''Fleet of Forgotten Solace'': The Personal fleet of the Imperator, the Fleet of Forgotten Solace was the largest, most well equipped, and most experienced fleet in the Republic. Eager for war, the ships and warriors of the fleet were well prepared for the task that lay ahead. *''Fleet of Vengeance'': A fleet especially formed for this operation, it was equipped for it's role, featuring more assault ships and planetary attack vessels, leaving it sparse in other areas. *''Fleet of the Honoured Host'': A handpicked fleet, they were chosen to lead the second phase of the attack. Filled to the brim with disciplined and ferocious warriors, the fleet would deliver a fatal blow. *''Fleet of Zealous Furor'': Part of the final wave, the fleet was heavily armed for the killing blow. *''Yrdesh Legion'': Informally called the Imperator's own, the Yrdesh is made up of some of the most hardened, experienced fighters, many of them original followers from earliest days of the Swords of Sanghelios. *''Ignal Legion'': Veterans from campaigns on Hesoduros, Vespera, and beyond, Ignal represented one of the finest examples of Sangheili discipline. *''Axiash Legion'': Expert Covenant hunters, they've hounded the Covenant since the Schism. Armed and equipped by the Republic, they've returned the favour by slaughtering the Covenant at every turn. *''Quen'tol Legion'': The Quen'tol Legion earned their first battle honours combating Kig-Yar pirates and their Covenant masters. Since then. they've become indispensable. *''Aar'dalak Legion'': Raised on Sanghelios for the war effort, this legion had seen relatively little combat before Operation: HELLFIRE *''Eral Legion'': A legion without compare, they had won victories during previous campaigns, while both out numbered, and surrounded. *''Uriath Legion'': Siege craft experts, they toppled Covenant citadels, and burned down their shrines in previous campaigns. *''Shaay Legion'': Gathered from the outer reaches of Sangheili territories, most mistake them for yokels and poorly educated farmers. However, their determination has proved them heroes of the Republic, time and again. *''Halior Legion'': During battles against the Covenant, fought over the harshest terrain, the Halior Legion has always been the first and foremost. They brought this expertise with them. *''Tan'rith Legion'': Raised from the occupied world of High Promissory, this legion is made up of a mixture of humans and Sangheili. *''Ascetic Guard'': A deployment of Ascetic warriors, they would normally be deployed amongst the other legions. However, they also deployed as a combat unit, for the first time since the Blooding Years. The very sight of the Ascetic Guard routed many Covenant units. *''Bloodied Night Chapter'': A Zealot Chapter, and one of the largest active at the time, the Bloodied Night were equal parts marauders and crusaders, purging the Covenant and raising the sword banner over the corpses of their foes. *''Ardent Faith Chapter'': Technically a Zealot Chapter devoted to recovering relics, they more often than not destroyed the churches and shrines of the Covenant, ended their twisted and profane beliefs. The Ardent Faith Chapter carried on their religicidal campaign during Operation: HELLFIRE *''Three Suns Chapter'': An old, and venerable Chapter, and once the Chapter of Imperator 'Vadam, the Three Suns were dispatched as special forces. They met the Covenant at their strongest, and crushed them. *''Special Operations Group'': A gathering of commandos, assassins, operators, and intelligence specialists without compare, they executed the Imperator's will directly. *Imperator Thel 'Vadam: The commander in chief of the Swords of Sanghelios, and war commander of the Republic, the Imperator Thel 'Vadam was a commander of legend. The former Arbiter, he commanded the invasion personally, intent on finishing what he started many years ago. *Fleet Master Y'oj 'Ithlak: An aggressive commander, he was recently promoted up to a commanding role for the Fleet of Vengeance, a fleet perfectly tailored for attack. *Field Master Shotan 'Vadum: A scion of the Vadum state, he epitomised their approach to war. Pragmatic in planning, sturdy on defence, furious on the attack, and without mercy at every step. Appointed by the Imperator, he commanded the ground campaign. *Ship Master Mahkee 'Chava: A member of Vadum's court, appointed the title of the Imperator's Spear, she commanded great respect amongst the Sangheili as a meticulous commander, organising, planning and directing missions faultlessly. *General N'Tho 'Sraom: A close ally of the Imperator, and a fearsome office, he leads the Ignal Legion from the forefront, casting down his foes, and toppling the Covenant's work. *Marshall Gwren 'Solodos: Commander of the Bloodied Night Zealot Chapter, he was deployed as the Republic's terrible marauder, making an example of the Covenant where ever he went. *Ascetic Grand Master Faltu 'Konar: A Grand Master of the ancient Ascetic Order, Faltu was as well known as a historian, as he was warrior. He lead the Ascetic Guard deployed alongside the Republic forces. *Commander Kasr 'Revak: A long term opponent of the Covenant, and a member of the Imperator's court, Kasr was the Imperator's blade, tasked with leading clandestine strikes upon the Covenant. A fearsome commander, his skill was tempered by his unorthodox command style. Covenant Remnant *''Fleet of Deliverance's Will'': The personal Fleet of Deliverance, it was perhaps the largest and most well equipped in the Covenant. Many of the best ships and captains were kept by Deliverance as his personal guard. This resulted in a large fleet swelled by modern ships. *''Fleet of Purgation'': A smaller fleet, this was one of the many fleets commanded by Cassius, but not his own. They were in the process of being rearmed to continue their terror campaigns, glassing independent worlds that did not bow to their rule. *''Fleet of Destined Suzerainty'': Cassius's fleet, the Fleet of Destined Suzerainty was a massive, bloated unit, dedicated to slaughter and mayhem. However, their usual offensive tactics were useless in a defensive engagement. *''Fleet of Gleaming Transcendence'': A reserve fleet, the Fleet of Gleaming Transcendence had never entered line combat until the events of Operation: Hellfire *''Fleet of Enshrined Divinity'':The personal fleet of Grand Chieftain Kalikorus, this was a large fleet of extremely well drilled, albeit bored soldiers. Arriving as reinforcements mid-way into the campaign, their unexpected appearance was a dangerous factor the allies could not have predicted. *''Ascendancy Legion'': A highly equipped legion, under the command of Deliverance, they were not his guards, but more a symbol of his law. They enforced his will among other legions, and across Pious Ascension. *''Honour Guard Legion'': The symbol of the Jiralhanae and San'Shyuum's pact, the Honour Guard guarded not only Deliverance, but other Prophets as well, defending them from harm and threat. While well equipped for guardianship, they were poorly armed for warfare. *''Makratra Shock Legion'': Cassius's fist, the Makratra were his personally trained warband. Brutal and uncompromising, they had cut their teeth conquering and plundering worlds in the honour of their Prophet and Chieftain. Their feasts were the thing of legends. *''Sabalik Shock Legion'': Lesser of the shock legions, but still considered highly elite, they were well versed in mobile warfare, taking to combat with phantom formations, and light vehicles. *''Falkar Guard Legion'': One of the elite guard legions, they stood steadfast over the citadels of Pious Ascension. Staunch defenders, they were trained and armed for defending their walls. *''Jutiror Guard Legion'': Another Guard Legion, they guarded many of the walled cities on Pious Ascension. Their stubbornness would be their undoing. *''Retuh Guard Legion'': The last of the Guard Legions, they were defending and operating the orbital defence stations that guarded Pious Ascension *''Gurshesh Temple Legion'': Guardians of the faithful, the Gurshesh Legion were taken from the most zealous, fanatical warriors, and armed with laboriously made custom gear. They functioned similarly to the Zealots of the Old Covenant, conducting clandestine missions on behalf of Covenant's religious leaders. *''Tauger Legion'': An old Legion, that survived the fall of the Covenant, they were made up of experienced veterans. *''Vakrae Legion'': One of the first legions raised by the Remnant, they saw the conquest of dozens of worlds, and brought many worlds to heel during their campaign. *''Shotk Legion'': Experienced and well armed, they had recently been withdrawn to Pious Ascension to train new legions. *''Valgrun Legion'': A legion of warriors raised on the harsh worlds the Remnant were exiled to, they were bitter fighters that fought regardless of their environs. *''Firiol Legion'': Firiol had fought, and lost, the Battle of Kanna. Retreating in shame, they had taken light casualties, and were now in the process of recovering much of their hardware, which had been lsot in the hasty retreat. *''Fuldak Legion'': Shamed in the jungles of Vespera, Fuldak had taken incredibly heavy casualties, and were now only at half-strength. They had returned to their capital for punishment and to recoup their loses. *''Buraf Legion'': A recently raised legion, they had just finished being equipped. While well armed, they lacked the experience needed for a full campaign. *''Tuakrak Legion'': Barely out of training, this recently raised legion were low on equipment, but filled with eagerness for battle. *''Barilbor Shock Legion'': Kalikorus's elite shock force, this unit was part of his fleet, and reserved to break the allies lines to relieve the capital. *''Ioruk Legion'': The Ioruk legion was a well trained force, and was deployed by the Fleet of Enshrined Divinity to capture back Pious Ascension's moon. *''Oromalr Legion'': The forefront of the counter-attack, Oromalr secured forward positions despite tenacious resistance. *''Shalkyr Stalker Legion'': The secret police of Deliverance, The Shalkyr kept order amongst his citizens by observing them, and taking ruthless action. They were also assassins, culling his foes. They were poorly equipped for a large-scale military campaign. *''Werag Stalker Legion'': Cassius' top commandos, they took on the greatest of missions, infiltrating enemy lines and tearing them apart from behind. Cut-throats, assassins, butchers and saboteurs, they performed dirty work for the Covenant. *''Rhuj Stalker Legion'': An independent unit, they were largely self sufficient, and could conduct campaigns without support. They had returned to Pious Ascension following a bloody campaign against the Covenant frontier worlds, where rebellion had fermented. *''Clan-Shields'': Not an official unit, these were irregular milita raised by local viceroys and ministers, to fight for the Covenant. Hastily armed, they were thrown at the invaders in a haphazard manner, or taken by experienced commanders to soak up fire for the real soldiers behind them. *High Prophet of Deliverance: The singular leader of the Covenant, to all outside he appeared as a delusional bureaucrat, and when gifted with ultimate power, he squandered it on petty gains, but to the Covenant, he was their master, their guiding light. A vile creature, he delighted exercising his power over others. *Prophet of Pity: Once the commander of the Fleet of Quickening Destiny, his failures had him reduced to a near-catatonic state, and returned to Pious Ascension, where he became a recluse. His old self had gradually begun to return, engaging in binges of food and drink. He was placed in charge of Falkar Guard Legion at the invasion's outset. *Prophetess of Temperance: Given domain over the spiritual well-being of the Covenant, Temperance lead the Covenant on great processions, giving lengthy sermons, whipping her followers into a frenzy, and assuring them of their rightful place in history. Temperance was an alcoholic, a fact exploited during the invasion. She was given command over the deployment of the *Prophet of Valour: A craven fool, Valour mostly worked as a bureaucrat, acting as viceroy for the Covenant when Deliverance busied himself with war or sermons, Valour was prideful, but lacked any real talent for leadership. *Prelate Huj Comnt: A born survivor, he survived the Prelate modifications, he survived the Flood, the Schism, all of it. the Prelate commanded the defence of several vital settlements during the campaign, with a cagey tactic. *Prelate Geh'Fior'Ryur: Placed in command of several special forces units, Geh was a cold and calculating butcher, who hoped to stymie the tide of enemy forces with hit-and-run attacks. *High Chieftain Cassius: High Chieftain of the Covenant, second only to Deliverance, he commanded the Covenant forces with fear and violence. A butcher and a brute, he was a skilled commander, and a fervent follower of the faith. *Grand Chieftain Kalikorus: A highly regarded officer, Kalikorus rose to prominence with a number of victories over superior forces. However, his popular support was a threat to both High Chieftain Cassius, and the High Prophet of Deliverance. He was promoted up and then exiled to the far reaches of space. His sudden return was unexpected by both the allies and the UNSC. *Chieftain Horadus: Commander of the naval forces, Horadus was a braggart, and a fool, who's weak grasp on naval tactics was further undermined by his over reliance on the planetary defence guns. *Chieftain Barabus: Barely surviving the battle at Linna, Barabus returned in disgrace. Eager to return to favour, he prepared to battle to the last, pushing his men harder. *Chieftain Barakus: Amongst his peers, Barakus is not a fanatic, or a zealot, but a pragmatic warrior, who takes a calculated, measured approach to battle. *Chieftain Jalkranum: Considered a hero, he's a fiery orator, and possesses a certain bestial cunning on the field. *Guard Chieftain Geryamus: Charged with command of the Guard Legions, he commanded these forces from orbit, a mistake exploited early on by the allied forces. *Honour Guard Chieftain Sulraus: Specially assigned to protect the holy Prophets, Sulraus served at the side of Deliverance, acting as his sycophantic enabler. *Stalker Chieftain Faustus: A wily and bloody thirsty commander, he disobeyed orders to attack enemy landing zones to instead wage a guerilla war within city limits. Prelude Both the UNSC and the Republic had begun a massive build up of materiel and manpower, and had already mapped the majority of the root necessary. Given how far they were pressing into enemy territory, supplies were going to be difficult to transport, meaning there was no going back. The alliance's previous activities had placed Pious Ascension, the Covenant capital, in great danger. This was opened up by the attack on Sheltered Sanctum, a vital staging area, and fortress world. With the world taken, Covenant forces vital to the defence of Pious Ascension were cut off, and reinforcements dispatched to the conquered world found no victory against the Sangheili. As part of the official Operation: FIRE, the UNSC and the Republic launched a joint attack against the Shipyards of Gethear, opening up the battle by firing rocket propelled asteroids at their enemies. The fight was short and bloody, with the allies wrestling control of the orbital installations from the Covenant, and crushing any remaining resistance. This further damaged Covenant core defences, cutting off vital supplies, and destroying a large fleet element. The Republic further humiliated the Covenant, engaging them at Revered Bastion. A massive force of Zealots assaulted the world, cutting into the Covenant and slaughtering their leaders, military and religious, including the Prophet of Deliverance's own brother. The Sangheili captured many Forerunner relics, and burned the Covenant cities to the ground in a fit of rage. This thoroughly broke their morale, with much of their religious leadership dead in the attack. The UNSC followed up on this with their attack on the fortress world of Azaria, Throne of Cassius. The gateway to Pious Ascension, its capture was an absolute must. The UNSC opened up by massacring the leaderless Covenant forces, and making quick landfall. Air dropped units, as well as ODSTs, secured vital staging areas, allowing the UNSC to bring reinforcements in and take the initiative. With the beachheads taken the UNSC began isolating and destroying Covenant strong points, with Spartan units taking the toughest upon the mountains. It ended with the fortress-capital of Kuljur being flattened, and the UNSC declaring victory. The Covenant meanwhile, made to few preparations. Such an attack was an ever present possibility, and many military commanders wished to take measures to prepare for an attack. More pragmatic commanders, such as Chieftain Barakus, Guard Chieftain Geryamus, and Prelate Huj Comnt, intended to increase fortification, building defence works, and improve their existing defences. Most of these actions were blocked by Prophet of Valour, who technical oversaw military preparations. Valour felt they, and their fleet, were impregnable, and nobody would dare attack them here. the High Prophet of Deliverance, and in turn High Chieftain Cassius, ignored their pleases. Some officers did what they could, increasing readiness and readying reserves. Major units were moved to city perimeters, and some defences were built, with heavy guns watching over the cities. Additionally, patrols were increased ten fold. Battle Operation: SAGE GOLD The opening stage of Operation: Hellfire was a concentrated infiltration mission. Weeks prior to the operation, the Covenant starship, Infinite Starlight, was captured during a pitched battle with a pair of ONI warships. Repaired, and refitted by the Republic, and crewed by a motley collection of Jiralhanae allies of the Republic, the ship was in turn filled with Spartan operatives, ready to launch their attack. Trained for operations inside Covenant stations, the Spartans from Gladiator and Blackjack companies used War Games training simulators to map and plan the operation to the tiniest details. The plan was to use it to infiltrate the system, dock with the command station that directed Pious Ascension's defence network, and shut it down. The campaign started with the Infinite Starlight arriving at the edge of the system, and immediately reporting in. They delivered a false report that they had suffered damage during an incursion, and had wounded aboard. They requested to dock with the command station above Pious Ascension, for immediate repairs. Shadowed closely by two Prowlers, the Infinite Starlight approached the command station on a proscribed route. With the ship pulling into dock, one Prowler moved to projecting a wide-area distress call to prevent the station calling for help, while the other dispatched a strike team onto the orbital tether, disconnecting physical lines of communication to the surface. With the station silenced, the Infinite Starlight docked. Covenant crew members, who expected to find their wounded comrades, were suddenly set upon by ravenous Demons, spilling forth from the depths of the ship. The attack was sudden, and without mercy, as Spartans piled onto the station, cutting through the defenders without much care. In the cold vacuum outside of the station, Spartan assault teams navigated across the hull and cut their way through bulkheads into sensitive areas. The Spartans, so well drilled on the design of the station, knew it better than the defenders, and often sprung from maintenance shafts, or blew their way through walls to circumvent defences. Every attempt at fortifying a position, or defending a bulkhead, met with failure in short order. Cut off from his command, and the line of communication between himself and his subordinates broken, Guard Chieftain Geryamus did the only thing he could think of. He fortified the command centre as well as he could, thinking the enemy would need to invade. It was the final mistake Geryamus ever made. The Spartan invaders hacked the environmental systems, and starved him and his crew of precious air. After fifteen minutes, Spartans took the command centre without firing a shot. Now in command of Pious Ascension's orbital defences, they remotely shut down the ring of defence guns floating in orbit, effectively halving the planet's orbital assets in one go. With the job done, the signal was given. Main Assault With the signal given, the main assault force, designated Task Force Breaker, dropped out of Slipspace 150,000 kilometres outside of the effective range of the now defunct orbital stations. This force composed of the UNSC 1st Fleet, and the Republic Fleet of Forgotten Solace, each commanded by Admiral of the Fleet William Castle, and Imperator Thel 'Vadam, respectively. Making their presence known, they set a course to approach Pious Ascension from its cardinal north-north-west. The Covenant defenders, having agreed upon a defensive plan, retreated behind the orbital defence network, with their fleet working to support the long ranged defence stations from short ranged attack. Task Force Breaker approached, and then passed through the killzone for the orbital defences without any fuss. The defence network never fired a single shot. It quickly dawned on the defenders that their shield had failed them. Guard Chieftain Geryamus also remained silent, and failed to take command as was dictated in the event of an attack. Fleet Chieftain Horadus took command of the situation, quickly rallying the fleets for defence. However, Horadus was a paper tiger, having achieved his rank through keen politicking, and not through any real skill. His first command was for his fleet to advance out of the shadow of the orbital defence guns, and began to take up defensive positions in front of them. Task Force Breaker responded in kind, firing off their first volley of long ranged fire. As they approached, the fleet changed formation, using a circular formation of Republic cruisers, around a core of UNSC ships and Republic heavies. With this formation, the UNSC ships were protected, and had a clear channel for fire, while the Republic ships turned into a rotating screen, using their broadside fire power to the maximum of their potential. Task Force Breaker simultaneously maximised their protective and offensive capabilities, and in turn lay great calamities on the Covenant. Horadus, relying on superior numbers, ordered his fleet to engage in a broadside formation, but the static nature of the formation began to rapidly take it's toll. In the first exchange the Covenant lost 14 ships, and the allies lost 1. Casualties began to rapidly mount in such a manner. The Covenant formation began to break, and then outright routed, retreating back to their original positions. High Chieftain Cassius took personal command of the battle, relegating Horadus to a reserve position. Cassius leveraged his numbers in a manner that would make the most of them, ordering his ships to use the now useless orbital defence guns as shielding, letting them soak up fire. The plan seemed to work, with the UNSC and Republic unable to find a weakness they could exploit, and retreating to a position further back. Cassius assumed they had given it their all and they were now trying to regroup. His assumption was soon proven wrong by the second wave of the assault. Second Assault While Cassius concentrated on using the bulk of his fleet to blunt the allies, he relegated Horadus to a reserve position, commanding the Fleet of Gleaming Transcendence. His fleet took a defensive position close to the northern pole. 3 hours after the commencement of the first assault, the second assault began. A second group, Task Force Griffin, left slipspace to the planet's west-north-west, above the X/Z axis, and approaching the pole. This fleet consisted of the UNSC 7th Fleet, Commanded by Fleet Admiral Galia Meir, and the Fleet of the Honoured Host. With a second fleet approaching, Horadus was thrown back into the fray. Horadus opened the engagement by emulating Cassius' tactics, and hiding his fleet behind orbital defence platforms. However, Horadus proved a poor study, crowding his ships behind a handful of stations, rather than spread them out. The allies punished this mistake harshly, opening up with a heavy fusillade. By focusing fire on a single station, they shattered in, showing shrapnel on the ships cowering below. Caught in hails of nanolaminate shrapnel, Horadus attempted to goad his enemy, opening up an open comm channel to the commander of the 7th Fleet, Galia Meir, and mocking her flagship, the UNSC Preston J. Cole. Horadus, thinking he had successfully goaded his opponent, began to attack with his heavies. His taunt had exposed his flagship loud and clear, and gave the allies a clear line of fire on it. In one massive bombardment, Horadus and his flagship, were totally annihilated. Suddenly without a commander, the remnants of his fleet scattered, attempting to link with other fleet elements, or stand their ground, only to be crushed by waves of opponents. This opened up the enemy's defences, and allowed the allies to begin the first ground assault. Operation: BARRAGE With an orbital path cleared, the allies began the first stage of the planetary assault. The UNSC began the majority of their landings close to the Afursh plains, where small farming settlements back up onto harsh mountainous terrain. The UNSC opened up the initial attack with the combined efforts of an orbital drop of ODSTs at the northern end of the valley, and a HALO drop by specialists from UNSCMC Force Recon. At the northern end of the valley, ODSTs dropped into the shadow of the only military installation in the region, a cliff stop set of bunkers. Taking the element of surprise, they were able to capture the western end of the complex, and parts of the northern point. Much of it degraded into short-ranged fire fights, which initially swayed in the Covenant's favour, until the arrival of gunships from the orbiting UNSC forces. Raptor gunships raked the lower positions and the northern bastion with fire, flushing out the last of the defenders and totally destroying them. At the southern end of the valley, Force Recon overtook several small villages, encountering little in terms of resistance. Capturing the wide plain to the south, they laid the ground work for the main body of the invasion. Supported by the Carrier, UNSC Alexandria dispatched its intial landing force, sending in waves of Pelicans, laden with troops, armour and materiel from the 7th Marine Expeditionary Force. Seizing the position, they began to entrench their position. Marines established trench works and temporary fortifications, or took villages and townships and fortified them, while engineers began to construct a massive pre-fabricated installation. While 7th MEF secured their position, Force Recon advanced down the valley encountering minimal resistance. When they arrived at the hill-top township of Irioak, they came under fire, as the only remaining military unit in the area rallied locals into a fight. Unwilling to engage in a costly urban battle this early, Force Recon directed air strikes against the town. 2 Axe Strike Fighters committed a total of six runs over the town, using their cannons and bomb payloads to attack it. Force Recon was able to advance into the ruins of the town without resistance, finding no survivors from the brutal air attack. The 7th MEF secured their new position close to dawn, and by the following dawn there would be a massive complex there. Engineers hastily built defences, lay down pre-fab buildings, erected bunkers, and even created a sprawling air-complex for fuelling and servicing aircraft. Using the UNSC's prefabricated building technology, they built a base across 8 square kilometres, including hospitals, repair facilities, armours, and heavy-outer defences. This would form as the UNSC's primary encampment for the duration of the campaign. With their base of operations secured, UNSC landings began in earnest, with the rest of the valley being swept, and small military enclaves being set up across the valley. With it secured, 7th MEF began advancing north, and forces from 18th MEF and the 9th Army Group began landing. The Republic took a much more offensive strategy in their initial landings. They took their landings further south that the UNSC, and opened it with a blistering three way attack on all the nearest settlements, pounding them from orbit first, then bringing their star ships down. The Assault Carrier, Dawn's Promise, accompanied by a flurry of smaller Templar-class Heavy Crovettes, came down over the edge of the Tidal Deserts. Using the Assault Carrier, they began to establish a staging area, building a ring of Citadel installations, protecting their main staging area. The Republic wasted no time, landing two whole Legions within six hours. Their only two points of resistance was Mesa of the Forlorn Star, to their immediate north, where Clan-Shields had begun gathering, and two townships on opposite hills to their east. The Mesa was attacked without any shred of mercy, with the clan shields being battered by total air superiority, and the survivors flushed out by the flame and by the sword, scattering them into the hostile desert. The twin towns were assaulted by air first, with a Corvette bombarding both, and squadrons of Banshee fighters swarming both. With the streets cleared, and the walls crumbling, Republic warriors marched in, using Wraiths to level any points of resistance. Any token of resistance, no matter how small, was totally crushed, and ground into the dirt. With the initial landings a success, Ignal and Ardesh legions began fanning out, and approaching the Covenant's positions. Third Assault The sanctity of Pious Ascension had been broken by Horadus's failings, and a hostile army was now landing on the world. Cassius was now beginning to lose the advantage, and with Task Force Breaker resuming their assault, he prepared to rally his ships to himself. The High Prophet of Deliverance ordered for his best ships to be withdrawn, to bolster the defence of his throne-capital. These ships were vital to the defence of the planet, but by withdrawing them now, the fleet would be severely weakened. Cassius never question his Prophet, and allowed for his ships to be withdrawn, depleting his strength. In a final attempt to blunt the invasion, he rallied survivors from the Fleet of Gleaming Transcendence, and prepared to bring the Fleet of Purgation out of reserve. However, his plans were once again ruined by the untimely arrival of yet more enemy forces. Task Force Ferrus, made up of combined forces from the Republic Fleet of Zealous Furor, and of the UNSC 9th and 6th Fleets, emerged from slipspace to the south east of Pious Ascension, beneath the X/Z axis, and approaching Pious Ascension at high speed. Covenant fleet commanders assumed they would focus on planetary landings, and instead positioned their ships for a 'gauntlet' to funnel them into kill zones. The combined fleet instead broke off into multiple prongs, and began to hit the Covenant in sledge hammer blows. They aimed to maximise fleet casualties, with landings as a secondary concern. Cassius now found himself pinned between three attacking elements, and totally incapable of dealing with a single one. He changed his tactics, and began to redeploy his fleets. The Fleet of Deliverance's Will retreated, dropping to low-altitude positions where they could defend cities. The Fleet of Destined Suzerainty was to break through the allied forces and rally at Furukr's Sorrow, with the hope they can make it out system and find reinforcements. Any ships left were to hold their ground and provide a rear guard action. These ships would not survive long. Without their commander, the Fleet of Destined Suzerainty had difficulty breaking through, though a number of their heavies did managed to punch a hole and slip out. Both the UNSC and Republic provided token responses, being unconcerned with a handful of escaping vessels, and instead focused on their ground operation. Operation: FULCRUM With the initial ground invasions meeting little-to-no resistance, the UNSC mounted an expedition to the city of Baliburr, stretching across the river on the eastern coast of the continent. The initial landings were taken by the Assault Carrier, UNSC Perth, which managed to land forces from the 3rd MEF, followed up by landings from the 15th Army Group. Setting up their base of operations in the shadow of the carrier, the main force began to advance on the city, with forward recon elements securing any settlements between them and the city. Their initial resistance came in the form of elements from the Jutiror Guard Legion, and the Buraf Legion. The Buraf were largely inexperienced, and going against hardened UNSC forces was disastrous. In every engagement, the UNSC isolated Guard Legion elements, and with them contained, they smashed into the Buraf legion without mercy. The forces retreated and lost much of their materiel in the process. The UNSC secured the high ground to the south of the city, ousting the Clan-Shields who had taken residence there, and fortified the position. With the commanding location secured, they turned it into a fire base, shipping in artillery pieces. They began shelling the city's lower reaches, pounding them into oblivion, and removing any defences. The only remaining defence was a ring of anti-air guns, and the cruiser, Horn of War God. The UNSC declined engaging it head on, and instead intensified their bombardment of the city, and launched stand-off missiles at any air defences. Pounding it with cruise missiles, the UNSC used this as the moment to move in. The UNSC Cruiser, Ithaca, supported by two frigates, began the assault, pounding the Covenant cruiser with missiles and cannon fire. Once it was suitably softened up, the Ithaca fired both MAC guns, blowing the ship in half. The result was total destruction, showing the ship's remains on the city below. During the noise and chaos of the starship battle above them, the UNSC released their Spartan forces, in the form of Vandal Company. Vandal company intentionally attacked the Covenant strong point at Hill 561, completely over running it, then using it as a positioned to attack their infrastructure in the lower city, demolishing grav-train lines, and levelling roads and bridges. Vandal never attacked directly, and instead assaulted the enemy's infrastructure, completely immobilising them in the city. With the main threat gone, the UNSC Fire Break, a Ra-class Assault Ship made its presence known, launching waves of fighters, bombers, and artillery at the eastern half of the island. It touched down on the water, allowing it to deploy amphibious vehicles and landing craft, allowing the UNSC to invade the city on a second front. Now caught between two seemingly invincible UNSC armies, the Covenant tried to fight to the death, but to little affect. The city was mostly conquered, or contained. The UNSC expanded the front to the north and south, capturing the west bank of lynch-pin town of Huldyr's crossing, and opening up an assault on the isolated city of Benagar. Operation: WHITE STAR joint operation to push throguh defensive forts to covenant staging grounds around marshes Battle of Cinder Fall battle over city d in the shadow of the volcano Advance on the Capital unsc and republic forces catch the capital in a pincer movement, but advance is slow Battle of Balurum attack on desert city Battle of Gurnash Covenant counter attack north of the city, through forests. Operation: FROSTFIRE attack on Shaem's Pride Battle of Yurhur Pass battle on lower continent Battle of Furukr's Sorrow covenant reinforcements rally at the largest moon Battle of The Northern Reach covenant space counter attack Battle of God's Fall republic attack on city c Landing at Verugum covenant forces attempt to land, at a massive cost Second Battle of insert city here reinforcements try to oust defenders Battle of Urusha Tork attack on city b Operation: INDIGO RIGHT unsc attack on northern relic Operation: GORGON GAZE spec ops attack on capital Battle of the Capital the final attack on the capital begins Battle of the Red Hills covenant forces attempt to push through the encirclement Operation: CEMETERY BRAVO master stroke Aftermath